Tag Archives: shelter animals

Daniel, a beagle mix dog, emerged scared but unharmed from a gas chamber on October 3rd, after trying to be euthanized by Animal Control in Alabama. He is now considered “Miracle Dog” because he survived.

Daniel was eventually flown to Eleventh Hour Rescue in New Jersey, a volunteer based organization which saves dogs from being put down. Now, two weeks later and he has found a home. Joe Dwyer and his family, along with four other dogs – a two dachshunds, a beagle mix, and a pit bull mix – have given Daniel a comfortable and permanent home.

This article really touched me in different ways. First, I was so glad to hear that the “Miracle Dog” Daniel was able to become adopted after surviving such a horrible death attempt. And while that is all good and dandy, it irks me to no end that nowhere in the article (the article above is my “summarized-in-my-own-words” version) does it mention the horrors of gas chambers and how to stop shelters and animal control facilities from using them.

So, because it was not mentioned anywhere in the article, I will take it into my own hands and cover how truly inhumane a gas chamber is and how we can try to stop them.

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Humane vs. Inhumane: Euthanasia by Injection (EBI) vs. Gas Chambers

– It takes up to 25 to 30 minutes for an animal’s life to end in the gas chamber and during that long half hour, the animal does not lose consciousness and brain function until after their organs shut down, which causes a prolonged suffering.

– It takes 3 to 5 seconds for the animal to lose consciousness and brain function with EBIand death happens within 2-5 minutes. The fact that they lose conciousness beforethey die means they have less suffering and pain.

– Euthanasia by Injection is done one animal at a time with a worker who comforts and and holds the frightened animal when it is injected; maybe the only kindness that animal has known.

– In gas chambersmany animals, of the same species, are put there in at once. The noise, heat, and smell of the gas coming into the chamber frightens the animal and causes them to fight and attack one another, making it an even more inhumane way to die.

– It has obviously been reported, as seeing from “Miracle Dog” above, that not all animals die from gas chambers, making their experience that much more horrifying.

Now, how to stop shelters from using gas chambers. It is reported that only nine states have laws that ban all forms of gassing on every animal in shelters. To see that list, visit the fact sheet link above.

How can you get your voice heard against the use of gas chambers as a method of euthanasia? Well, for starters, visit the American Human Association’s Stop Gassing page and see what you can do to speak out and help.